Big Boy 4014 in Mentor, Ohio

Here’s my video of Union Pacific Railroad’s massive locomotive Big Boy 4014 as it traveled through Mentor, Ohio. The first trip eastbound was on June 8, 2026; the return trip westbound was on July 13, 2026. Both videos were taken at the Station Street/Maple Street area. 

The 2024 Solar Eclipse: “Totality” Awesome!

 

As totality approached, the shadow of the moon began to erase the halo around the sun.

The 2024 total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 was an amazing event and a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me, seeing that it’s not likely I’ll travel anywhere to see another one.  This one was right in my own backyard in Northeast Ohio.  Well, technically I watched it from my front yard, with my husband and older sister in attendance.   What a sight, and what a sensation!  Visually it was spectacular and the quick changes in the environment was both amazing and surreal.  

We were fortunate that the sky, historically cloudy on April 8, was fantastic, with warm temperatures and only thin, high clouds.  The sun had a halo around it for most of the afternoon.  As totality approached, the sunlight became less bright, and when totality was only 15 minutes away, the brightness dimmed considerably. We could see the sun's halo disappear as the moon's shadow approached. A light breeze kicked up and the temperatures dropped.  I’ve seen a partial eclipse and an annular eclipse before, but nothing prepared me for seeing deep darkness descend so quickly.  And not only did it get very dark, but there was a look of a sunrise (or sunset) 360 degrees around.  There are no words to completely describe the look of the sun at totality, with just a ring of light around the edges and red solar prominences clearly visible. It was exhilarating!  We had totality just a hair short of four minutes (3 minutes 51 seconds), but when it was over, the light brightened very quickly.   We did hear birds calling during the darkness, and unfortunately we heard a lot of fireworks.  But the fireworks didn’t spoil the unreal scene we just experienced.   

If you ever get a chance to see a total eclipse, DO IT.  It is an experience that should not be missed.  Here are photos that I took at totality; it doesn’t quite capture all of the experience but it’s the next best thing!

 Totality (top), Diamond ring (bottom)

 All photos  by  Chris Zimmer

Crescent Moon, Venus, and Jupiter with Sub-Zero Temps

Below zero air temps and about -25 wind chills in NE Ohio this morning didn’t stop me from going outside to get a photo of the crescent moon, Venus, and Jupiter in the southern sky.

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The Rookery, Munson, Ohio, Geauga Park District

Yesterday, the temperatures were in the low 80s, perfect for an October walk outdoors to look for autumn color. We visited The Rookery in Munson, Ohio, part of the Geauga Park District. An interurban railway used to pass through this area, the path which now serves as a beautiful trail through the woods. This straight trail provides a wonderful tunnel-like view through the trees. While walking this trail, a large wetland can be viewed, along with a lovely covered bridge which crosses the Chagrin River. A heron rookery is here – hence the park’s name – but is only accessible during special, park-sanctioned programs.

Fall color was just beginning to appear, so there were a few splashes of warm color in the woods. Here are a few photos from our visit.

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Thunderstorm With Mammatus Clouds

Yesterday, we were sandwiched between two thunderstorms; one 20 miles directly south and the other about 20 miles to the east. The back end of the storm to the east had cloud cover that reached overhead, with distinct mammatus clouds, accompanied by a curving cloud on the back end. We could see the storm to the south peeking below the high clouds from the storm to the east, and it was as surreal sight to say the least. Here are a few photos.

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Penitentiary Glen Stairs Into The Gorge

I haven’t had much time to write lately, but have had plenty of time to take pictures. Yesterday we visited Penitentiary Glen in Kirtland Ohio, part of the Lake County Metroparks. The weather was pleasant and the temps were perfect for a walk down – and then up – the long stairway into the gorge. I counted about 135 steps. The stairway is moderately steep but very wide, so the walk down was comfortable. Just remember if you walk down, you have to walk back up, which can be difficult if you’re not in the best of shape. The trail ends below with a very small overlook to the stream below. Walking any further outside the overlook is restricted and can only be done in a pre-scheduled guided hike. Here are a few photos of the stairs.

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What A Severe Thunderstorm Looks Like

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Lake County, Ohio – and we certainly got a severe thunderstorm. There was the sound of continuous thunder for many minutes before the rain came. When the rain arrived, it was with high winds and lightning, but the sound of the thunder was drowned out by the sound of the rain. Here’s a video I took from inside my garage, hoping I would stay dry. I got drenched! The rain and wind builds as the video progresses. Toward the end, the wind and rain was coming in straight at me so I decided it was time to stop recording.



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